Preparing for the next phase....

With the Prime Minister confirming that we are “past the peak of this disease”, and a commitment that next week will see the government set out their plans to safely reopen schools, we are undoubtedly entering a new phase. Just like the government, schools are learning lessons every day. With a slew of changes to the curriculum, services and processes, the last 6 weeks or so has been a whirlwind.

It has been so wonderful to see the vast majority of children engaging with the daily & weekly tasks set by your teachers. Thank you so much to your parents for supporting you and helping you to continue with your learning. We hope that, when we are able to return, we will be able to continue with the remainder of our work and get ready for our new classes/schools in September, armed with the skills and knowledge we have learned during the last 6 weeks.

Although at this time I do not know what lies ahead, or when we will be asked to begin openeing school again, I will try my best to keep you updated on our website with forthcoming arrangements.

While we are still in lockdown however - new educational ideas/websites are flooding onto the market… Below is an excerpt from an educationalist regarding the use of TV channels for educational purposes for many of you who may be struggling to encourage your child to undertake the tasks their teachers have set them!

The Best Educational Documentaries on Netflix and Disney+

Victoria Thompson

We all know that sometimes it can be difficult for children to sit down and focus on work for a few hours – especially with the TV being so close. So rather than fight it, why not embrace it?

Alongside blockbuster movies, suspenseful TV shows and playful cartoons, streaming services like Netflix and Disney+ come packed with educational documentaries. With so many titles to choose, we have done the hard work for you and picked some of the best shows available.

The World According to Jeff Goldblum – Disney+

If that title isn’t enough of a reason to start watching, then we don’t know what is. The incredible Jurassic Park actor has travelled across the world in this new exclusive series – exploring everything from video games and cosmetics, to coffee and ice cream. Speaking to social media influencers and talking about his own experiences, it is both informative and entertaining.

While this docuseries may be more light-hearted than others, it is a good way to slowly introduce children to the world of educational documentaries.

Planet Earth – Netflix

Recent studies have suggested that children are now becoming more environmentally conscious. Looking up to great trailblazers like Greta Thunberg, children want to know more about the environment and how they can protect it. So, satisfy their thirst for knowledge with Planet Earth – after all, is there anything more inspiring than listening to Sir David Attenborough?

From islands and mountains to deserts and cities, the little ones will be taken on a worldwide adventure to learn about our planet and the animals that inhabit it. If they’re hungry for more once the series finished, then simply switch to Our Planet, or dive underwater with Blue Planet.

Origins: The Journey of Humankind – Disney+

With geography covered, it’s time to travel back in time for a science and history tour. Taking you from our early ancestors to the moon landing, Origins shows children the evolution of humans, including milestone discoveries and inventions like fire, medicine and transportation.

With just eight episodes, this is a good whistle-stop tour through history, enabling children to take in key information in easily digestible chunks.

Horrible Histories – Netflix

Horrible Histories has been a firm favourite for years now and many parents will have enjoyed it themselves. Starting as humorously illustrated books, the TV show follows suit with comedic re-enactments of historical events from the Stone Age to the World Wars.

With short episodes and even shorter sketches, children will learn all about the different periods, figures and themes without even realising it. Humour and modern parodies are the main focus of the TV show, piquing their interest in the past without it ever feeling like they’re learning. Until they repeat it all back afterwards!

There are hundreds of documentaries available to make learning fun while the schools are closed. Alongside this, Amazon has announced a raft of free content online, from ebooks to videos, offering parents even more resources to play with.

So there may be some things you can find which will help your child and encourage them to find out more about a particular topic!

Speech and Language Support

The SLT team has been busy trying to maintain a service to children and their families, despite not being able to see them face to face at present.

They are now offering a telephone ‘drop-in’ system until they can get back to the normal drop-in clinics and they have attached some information, which can support you with this and provide information to parents. (see below)

If you feel your child needs more than the brief advice they can offer via the ‘drop in service’, please do let us know at school as we can still make referrals as we always would have done. 

The service are continuing to make appointments for those children on their waiting list, albeit by telephone at this time.

Click HERE for Speech and Language contact details

Children’s Speech and Language Therapy Service

Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Jesus, Our Good Shepherd

This weekend marks the 4th Sunday of Easter, and, as Fr Jim said at masses this weekend… ‘where has the time gone?’

This Sunday is known as Good Shepherd Sunday. We recognise Jesus as our ‘Good Shepherd’, and we are encouraged to think about how following Him helps us live our life to the full. Each day, children are given the opportunity to reflect on how Jesus, our Good Shepherd, provides us with: Food, Guidance, Help, Shelter and Community.

The daily prayers are attached to the buttons below:

Online Safety at Home

Now that everyone is getting more used to this new way of working from home; it also means that now children are spending even more time online, there are more opportunities for children to access unsuitable material or, unfortunately, for some to use the internet in the wrong way. We know this is a difficult time for most parents. The ‘ThinkUKnow’ website can provide you with support and resources to help you learn about online safety at home with your child. 

To help with this, #OnlineSafetyAtHome pack is now available for you to download, containing new activities for parents and carers to use at home! Access them here: 

4-5s

5-7s

8-10s

11-13s

14+

You can also access our new guidance for parents and carers designed to help them manage some of the key challenges we all face online.

You can also share the ‘ThinkUKnow’ new ParentInfo article which signposts to reporting, advice and support services available for children and their families.

To all our families… we miss you all and truly hope that everyone is well and staying healthy and happy.

Keep Strong & Stay Safe...

“Lord, help me to have faith in Your perfect plan for my life.  Help me to know that You are in control when life seems out of control.  In those moments, may the faith I manifest be a gift to You so that You can use it for Your glory.  Jesus, I trust in You.”

Above is a prayer reflecting on today’s Gospel - and how appropriate it is! We should always keep our faith, hope and trust in the Risen Christ and the plan He has for us, especially when things are particularly difficult. As Father Jim said in today’s mass (on website) God asks us to do what little we can with what we have and He will do the rest!

I can hardly believe we have entered another month of lockdown, in fact I do not know where the days are disappearing to; and yet, disappearing they are. Today I have been looking at some of the amazing work our children have been undertaking at home and I, like the teachers, are so incredibly proud of you all! I can hardly believe how much you have all been up to - and the standard of what you have produced is really wonderful to see!

Our thanks and praise has to go out to parents and families who are supporting your children so well during these restricted times, probably juggling your own work with helping your children. You are all doing a fantastic job. However, teachers are always worried when they have not had any contact from families as they just want to ensure that children are on the right track. Teachers also want to try to support parents in any difficulties you may be experiencing perhaps in motivating or encouraging your children to complete tasks, or how to simplify instructions etc; Please, please try to maintain contact with your child’s class teacher - even if it is simply to let us know you are ok! This will save us turning up on your doorstep if we haven’t heard from you!!!!!! We are still here to help - so please do let us know.

I also would like to say a HUGE thank you to all of Our Lady’s staff who are working so hard to ensure that children have work and activities which will (hopefully) inspire and motivate them to keep learning during this difficult time. As I mentioned before… it is due to the fact that staff care about your children and yourselves so much, that they are desperate to hear from you and try to help and support in any way they can.

I hope that when you clap for carers on a Thursday evening - you also remember your teachers too & give them and extra big clap too for all their time and efforts.

Corona Kindness

A Corona Kindness support service has been set up by Blackpool Council. It offers help with:

-          sourcing/delivery of groceries

-          loneliness and isolation

-          medical supplies

-          dog walking.

If you or anyone you know is in need of help please email helpneeded@blackpool.gov.uk or call Freephone 0808 196 3080. If you can offer help at all please email helpoffered@blackpool.gov.uk visit www.blackpool.gov.uk/CoronaKindess for more info or follow the council’s social media channels. Download Poster HERE

Prayers for the coming week

Attached are some prayers for the week ahead. They are based on the Gospel from this weekend which is the story of The Road to Emmaus where Jesus is only recognised at the breaking of bread. (A great gospel to remind our First Communion Group that Jesus is truly present when we share the Eucharist together.)

Wednesday Word

Many of you may be missing the ‘Wednesday Word’ leaflets which your child usually brings home with them on a Wednesday. These help us to begin to understand the Gospel theme for the coming weekend and give us a ‘word’ by which we can remember the theme of the Gospel.

This week’s word is “FOLLOW”. I wonder if any of you can guess what the Gospel might be this week?

Click HERE to view the Wednesday Word leaflet for this week.

And finally…

A little video which I was sent which reminds us about our wonderful world…

CLICK HERE

Have a safe and lovely week.

How beautiful it is to be Christians who offer consolation, for we are all brothers and sisters – may we bring the Easter song of life!

I hope you all managed to reflect upon and enjoy (as much as you could) the beauty that the Easter Season brings. Albeit difficult for us all at this time, the message that Christ’s Ressurection shows us all is that Jesus is the solace, comfort and real joy that we should all be in search of at this time.

I do not know if any of you managed to see/hear Pope Francis’ Easter Message and Blessing. I always find the Pope’s words very relevant, and comforting. At the Easter Vigil, the Pope spoke about the women who ran to the tomb to find Jesus…

“Those women, in the end, “took hold” of Jesus’ feet (Mt 28:9); feet that had travelled so far to meet us, to the point of entering and emerging from the tomb.  The women embraced the feet that had trampled death and opened the way of hope.  Today, as pilgrims in search of hope, we cling to you, Risen Jesus.  We turn our backs on death and open our hearts to you, for you are Life itself.”

I hope you are also managing to see Fr Jim’s masses and keep up to date with our parish news and prayer intentions. Remember the link to the church website is on our home page (on the left). There are some wonderful resources there for the children too and it has been wonderful to see many of the children still remembering to.. “Ask Fr Jim” their questions during this special time of year.

I also attach some further prayers for families from ‘TenTen’ resources which we use daily in school. Try to use them to allow your family some short times to pray together. The children are used to the format - so could easily lead the family in these prayers.

Online Safety for home learning.

We want to ensure that while you are undertaking all your learning at home that everyone pays the same consideration to internet and online safety and particularly our use of social media. We should always try to make sure this is used safely and responsibly so that we can ensure the security, happiness and wellbeing of everyone.

The local authorities have produced a helpful leaflet for families to review use of social media and the hazards we can face from this. Click HERE for this resource.

Mrs McVey always gives the latest guidance from the ThinkUknow website which is an excellent resource for parents and families. Look at Y5 page or Parents section of website for further resources.

The great gift of Easter... is hope!

We are drawing ever closer to the reflective period of Holy Week which leads us to draw inspiration through Jesus’ trials and suffering as we look forward to His triumph through the Resurrection.

Over Easter, daily lessons will pause as teachers need a little downtime to spend quality time with their own families. On Monday 6th April they will be putting various learning opportunities on class pages linked to Holy Week for you to dip into as and when you can. Alongside this, children can still continue to enjoy the ebooks and other online programs. We do ask that during this week you don’t email as teachers’ accounts will be suspended for a week. We hope you understand and the children too will need a little break themselves. Daily Learning will then resume on Tuesday 14th April.    

Within school, we are currently operating with a decreasing number of Teachers and Teaching Assistants. This has worsened this week with now 2 teachers and 4 teaching assistants self-isolating due to symptoms. I know a small number of you have accessed EMERGENCY CHILDCARE and I would ask you going forward to really consider if this is essential in line with Government advice as we do not want to be in a situation where we could not support those families who really need this provision. We urge everyone to explore all avenues before requesting this service and would ask if you are working from home to keep your children with you. The government has clearly said that home is by far the safest place and we can only agree with that.

It is clear that whilst schools are being asked to provide an important service at this time, social distancing is now being emphasised as vital for children too. Therefore, the key message is please only take up this place if you have no other alternative to ensure it is there for those who desperately need it to continue their essential work. We will only be able to provide childcare for the times when both parents are needed to be working as critical workers away from home. Anything we can do to keep the group of children as low as possible is crucial to longer-term sustainability.

As a school, we are trying to fulfill our duty both to stop the spread of the virus whilst providing essential childcare.  We all have an important role in this. We will do our best to continue to provide this care for a small number of children going forward but as a headteacher, I also need to protect my staff and ensure everyone’s safety. Therefore once school opens again on Tuesday 14th April we can at the moment only provide limited places.

To those of you carrying out this work know, we are there with you, we will support you and try everything we can to care for your children whilst you care for us.

Daily Prayers for families - Week Beginning 30th March

Weekly Update 27.03.20

I hope you are all managing well and staying safe & healthy through this unprecedented, and, very surreal time.

Our huge thanks go out to everyone who has either been, or is currently on the frontline, caring for and treating those who are ill, to all those offering support and giving of their time so freely and generously to help others and also those of you who are isolated at home. Our thoughts and prayers are with you all.

Easter Closure

Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Primary School will be closed as planned from Monday 6th April up to and including Monday 13th April.

As you are aware this will be Holy Week.

We are putting weekly prayers onto our school website and are also in the process of attaching a Sunday Liturgy so that families can continue to share the message of the Gospel during this time. Please also click onto the Church button which links to our Parish website. Fr Jim has been busy recording masses, prayers and blessings which you can share together.

Also, Fr Jim is still eager for you to continue to ask him any questions you may have about Holy Week/Easter. Even if we cannot write them in our ‘Ask Fr Jim’ book - Father would love if you emailed him (through the church website) with your first name and year group. He will then try to post an answer to your question!

Your class teachers will also try to post a little Easter Activity for you during this very important week!

Emergency Childcare

Even where there are two key workers in the home, where possible it must be emphasised that every avenue of childcare should be explored before making the decision to send children into school.  This is in line with Government advice.  For some critical workers children will only require certain days at school as they will not be working every day or alternative childcare may be available to them on other days.

Anything we can do to keep the group of children as low as possible is essential. 

We are however trying to ascertain if any key workers will need emergency care following Easter when school re-opens for emergency care ONLY from 14th April.

If you know this is something which is essential then please email school (admin@our-lady.blackpool.sch.uk) asking for a form which will be emailed for you to complete and return with any dates you may need urgent care.

Can you please do this by Wednesday 1st April.

Please take care of yourselves and your loved ones during this difficult time. Remember to follow government advice carefully to keep yourselves and others safe.

If anyone does need any further support or advice we will always do what we can to help - you can contact us during school hours in the usual way.

LATEST UPDATES - COVID 19

We have just heard the latest announcement from the Government tonight that…”You must stay at home”

The message is stark but clear. We now have to ensure that we are keeping our families at home at all costs to ensure the NHS is not overwhelmed during this pandemic.

Whilst Our Lady’s wants to try to do all it can to help families at this time - we need to follow Government instructions and keep everyone safe. While numbers of children increase at school we cannot do this. It is increasingly difficult to ensure that children remain socially distanced throughout the day. So the message must be, that if you are able to keep your children at home, then DO SO.

Wellbeing advice for families

Keeping you and your child’s physical and mental health well, over the next coming weeks & months is so important to help manage the COVID-19 virus. During these times of stress and anxiety we must all do what we can to try to keep ourselves healthy in mind and body so that we can try to be strong during these difficult days and weeks ahead.

If any families are concerned over where to turn for help, there is a handy guide with some useful contact numbers you may wish to use for support if needed. Click HERE to download.

We have also had a lovely message from Mrs Ward - our yoga and mindfulness teacher. She sends everyone her love and hopes that you can try to practice some of amazing yoga poses and mindful breathing at home!

Prayer Resource for families

In this unprecedented time of church and school closures, a resource which we use in school for some of our collective worship (Ten Ten) is offering all families the opportunity to access prayer resources for the home. The children will be used to the format of these prayers which link directly to the Sunday Gospel - which for this week was the story of Jesus’ healing of the Blind Man.

The prayers take the form of powerpoints which have a reflection and a prayer for each day.

Pope Francis prays for the world

In response to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Pope Francis said he will give an extraordinary blessing “urbi et orbi” (to the city and the world) at 6 p.m. Rome time March 27.

The formal blessing — usually given only immediately after a new pope’s election and on Christmas and Easter — carries with it a plenary indulgence for all who follow by television, internet or radio. In addition to announcing the special blessing, Pope Francis said that at a time “when humanity trembles” because of the COVID-19 pandemic, he was asking Christians of every denomination to join together at noon March 25 to recite the Lord’s Prayer. The Catholic Church and many others mark March 25 as the feast of the Annunciation.

“To the pandemic of the virus we want to respond with the universality of prayer, compassion and tenderness,” he said. “Let’s stay united. Let us make those who are alone and tested feel our closeness,” as well as doctors, nurses, other healthcare workers and volunteers.

INDEFINITE, FORCED SCHOOL CLOSURE.

Dear Parents,

Re: INDEFINITE,FORCED SCHOOL CLOSURE

Next week, Our Lady of the Assumption stops operating as a school and we will become a ‘last resort, emergency childcare’ facility.

We will not be providing an education, just childcare and we will operate between 9.00am and 3.30pm

It is NOT compulsory for children to attend.

Breakfast and after school club will not operate from Friday (today)

As a country, we all need to do what we can to reduce the spread of the COVID 19 virus

The government has asked parents to keep their children at home, wherever possible, and asked schools to remain open only for those children who absolutely need to attend

The fewer children making the journey to school, and the fewer children in education all settings, the lower the risk that the virus can spread and infect vulnerable individuals in wider society

Schools are, therefore, being asked to continue to provide care for a limited number of  children  - children who are vulnerable and children whose parents are critical to the Covid 19 response and cannot be safely cared for at home

If it is at all possible for children to be at home, then they should be – our care provision is an absolute last resort!

So far the number of children on our list far exceeds the 10% projected by the Government. Please consider your children, other children and the staff at the school before asking for a place for your child. We already have a reduced staffing structure because of the need to self-isolate or because of underlying health conditions.

Please, therefore, follow these key principles:

1.      If it is at all possible for children to be at home, then they MUST be.

2.      Parents should do everything they can to ensure children are not mixing socially in a way which can continue to spread the virus.

They should observe the same social distancing principles as adults.

3.      If a child needs specialist support, is vulnerable or has a parent who is a critical worker, then school provision will be available for them.

4.      Parents should not rely for childcare upon those who are advised to be in the stringent social distancing category such as grandparents, friends, or family members with underlying conditions.

Please remember, the whole point of the enforced closure, is to reduce the potential spread of the coronavirus, we should not be used for convenience.  We will be very strict on this.

Where one parent is not a key worker, please endeavour to make your own arrangements to keep your child safely at home.

If you are working from home, your child MUST stay with you.

If you feel you meet the criteria and feel it is absolutely necessary to take up a childcare place, then please complete the new form which will be sent out/available at the office from lunchtime today. This MUST be completed by 3pm today in order for us to cater appropriately as far as staffing levels for next week.

We will require proof of your ‘key worker’ status, such as a work identification pass / work email / letter from employer which states your job title

NB: If parents do not consider all these aspects very carefully then there is definite possibility that school may not be able to open at all due to inadequate staffing levels. Above all we need to ensure the utmost safety of children who should be here. If we feel that numbers are too great to offer a safe environment then we will have to close and direct to other provision.

In the same way – please do not expect to arrive at the school on Monday able to bring your child without confirmation from us that their place is secured. We do not want anyone to be left in this position.

With my many thanks for your support in such difficult times

M Haggerty

Coronavirus: required closure –

Dear Parents/Carers,

Re: Coronavirus update – school closure to most pupils

Following on from last night’s news, I’m now writing to let you know that we have now been instructed to close the school to almost all children after this Friday until further notice.

As advised by the government, we will do all we can to stay open for the children of key workers (e.g. NHS staff, police, others in frontline services) and children with certain needs.

We are waiting for the government to publish more information on what this means, but it would help us in the meantime if you could let us know if you think your child may fall into one of these categories.

You can email us at school: admin@our-lady.blackpool.sch.uk or call us on 01253 762833

We’ll be in touch again as soon as we are sure who this does apply to.

All other children will need to stay at home, so we ask that you do not send your child into school from Monday onwards.

* Please note that this is a national closure – as you may have heard in the news – so while it is a challenging situation, we are not alone. We’ll re-open fully as soon as we can and will let you know when this is by announcement on our school website and text message to all families.

What we’ll continue doing while your child is at home

Your child’s learning is of course important to us, so we’ll continue to help your child to learn.

We will be sending home packs of work initially to give some curriculum work for English and Maths to begin with. We aim for your child to undertake approximately 2 hours of school work per day.

For the continuing weeks we then plan to continue education support remotely by:

• Writing a weekly ‘Class Blog’ to be found on the school website which will contain further weekly assignments/projects for children in your class to complete.

• We will give both worksheets and links to educational websites for games, lessons etc

• Parents can then contact class teachers if needed through a secure designated email address (Example…….Classname@our-lady.blackpool.sch.uk - this will be confirmed and put out through text or class blog )

If your child usually receives free school meals we will also be in touch with more information about how we will continue to provide this, with support from a scheme that the government has just announced.

What we won’t be able to go ahead with

•  School trips

•  School Events - Lenten Masses, Easter Assemblies, KS1 Lent Liturgy (Church)

•  Internal exams or tests

• Also - First Communion Programme will have to be postponed

This is as much as we know right now and we appreciate your continued patience with as we deal with this ever-changing situation. We understand that this latest news will have an impact on you and your family and it’s far from ideal, but we’ll continue to keep in touch with any updates as the situation develops.

If you want to get in touch to share any concerns, please don’t hesitate to do so via our school admin email: admin@our-lady.blackpool.sch.uk or on the school phone number 01253 762833.

And remember: if you or your child feels ill and you want to know what to do next, please use NHS 111 online.

Thank you again for your continued support, and we will be in touch with more information when we can.